The Diplomat
The European Commission yesterday registered a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) entitled “Preservation and development of Ukrainian culture, education, language, and traditions in EU states”.
The organisers of the initiative urge the Commission to step up its actions to support the integration of Ukrainian refugees in the EU. They also call on the Commission to propose new legislation to preserve Ukrainian culture, language, traditions and heritage, as well as to establish a pan-European structure of integration centres.
The registration decision is of a legal nature and does not prejudge the Commission’s final legal and political conclusions on this initiative or the measures it would propose to take, if appropriate, should the initiative gain the necessary support, the European Commission’s Representation in Spain said in a statement.
Since the European Citizens’ Initiative meets the formal conditions set out in the relevant legislation, the Commission considers it to be legally admissible. At this stage, the Commission has not yet analysed the substance of the proposal.
After registration, the organisers have six months to collect signatures. If a European Citizens’ Initiative receives one million statements of support from at least seven Member States within one year, the Commission must decide whether or not to follow up on the request, but in both cases it must give reasons for its decision.
